Movable lens mechanism for signal lamps



April 22, 1952 J, GEARON ET AL MOVABLE LENS MECHANISM FOR SIGNAL LAMPS Filed Nov. 4, 1949 x ii! INVENTORS. jbkizd. Gearavz Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOVABLE LENS MECHANISM FOR SIGNAL LAMPS 9 Claims.

Our invention relates to signal lamps of the type carried by railway trains, and more particularly for signaling toward the rear to indicate train movements.

One object of the invention is to provide a lamp which contains means for indicating different types of signals, such means being operated by electricity. l

A further object is to design a lamp of the above character which contains lenses on the inside designed as different signals, and control means for such lamps in the car which carries the signal lamp.

Another object is to provide a feature in the operative mechanism which procures the vibration of the signal lenses with a view to attracting more attention.

An additional object is to employ mechanical or electrical means for operating the lenses of the lamp.

A still further object is to form the lenses with perforations of different shapes and at various angles in order that they may draw still more attention when in action.

An important object is to mount the lamp in a manner to follow the course of the train when the same takes a curve.

With the above objects in view, and any others which may suggest themselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which-- Fig. l is a plan view of the installation of the novel lamp at one side of the fragmental portion of a railway car;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the lamp;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a face view of one of the signal lenses; and

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring specifically to the drawing, [0 denotes the housing of the novel lamp, the latter being mounted for free oscillatory movement on a bearing bracket H which has a circular base onto which the base of the lamp sits and which bracket is secured to the side of the railway car as indicated at I2. The base of the lamp l0 fits within the cup shaped portion of the bracket bearing I I and the lamp is therefore freely movable on its base as a bearing surface between the inside bottom surface of the bracket and the bottom surface of the lamp In, there being; only a friction connection between the two surfaces. The weight of the solenoids which are disposed in opposite side portions of the lamp housing provides the necessary weight to cause oscillatory movement of the lamp as a consequence of the inertia derived from the either right or left 2. turning of the train. The lamp has a large white lens l5 directed toward the rear, and. a small pilot lens l6 directed toward the front. Also,- the housing I0 is connected by diagonal springs l8 to the side of the car 20, so that when the train takes a curve in one or the other direction, the lamp will not follow to throw its beam off the road, but will yield to inertia caused by the turning of the train and continue shining on the right-of-way while tensioning the corresponding spring I8.

Fig. 3 shows that the housing In contains a standard illuminating bulb 22 in the center. A reflector 23 is disposed in front of the bulb, the reflector having a central opening 24 by way of which the light from the bulb passes to the pilot lens l6. Thus, the latter may be viewed by the engineer of the train to ascertain whether the lamp is lighted. r

' While the bulb 22 serves to indicate by way of the lens 15 that the lamp is lighted or the train standing still, it is customary to indicate by means of a green light that the train is running, or by means of a red light that a clanger signal is inaction. Thus, the present lamp contains a green lens 25 and a red lens 26 in thespa'ce between the bulb 22 and the lens 15; and means are provided for positioning either the lens 25 or the lens 26 directly in the path of light from the bulb 22 through the lens 15.

The mechanism for the lenses 25 and 26 is shown'more clearly in Fig. 4. Thus, wall brackets 29 serve to pivot a pair of electro-magnets 39 and 3[ on opposite sides of the bulb 22, the: electr c-magnet 30 having an armature .32 which carries the lens'25, while the electro-magnet 31 has an armature 33 which carries the lens 26. The electro magnets are mounted on pivots 35 in relation to the respective brackets 29, so that either magnet-andlens assembly may be rotated to position the corresponding lens in front of the bulb 22. Thus, Fig. 4 shows that the electromagnet 30 is positioned to locate the lens 25 in a poised position, while the electro-magnet 3 I is positioned to locate the lens 26 in front of the bulb. Fig. '3 shows that the e'lectro-magnetand-lens assemblies are staggered from each other, so that they may be independently operated.

The lens-lowering. movements of the electromagnets are procured by a set of solenoids 40 in the bottom of the lamp. Thus, each solenoid has a plunger which is pivoted to the lower end of a linli 42 as indicated at 43, the upper end of the link being pivotally attached at 44 to a lug 45 projected from the corresponding electro-magnet. Thus, while the plunger of the solenoidon the right-as seen in Fig. 4-is extended toposit ion the lens 25 in the poised locationshown, it is seen that the companion plunger electro-magnets when their lenses are desired:

to be raised to the original position. As to controls, the schematic illustration in Fig. 4 indicates a switch 50 to operate the bulb 22, and switches and 52 to operate the solenoids 40. These switches are of course located inside the car, so that the trainman need not be exposed to weather conditions when he desires to operate the lamp.

The circuit of the solenoids also includes conductor extensions 55 whose upper ends are designed to be contacted by terminal blocks 56 carried by the electro-magnets 36 and 3| when these are in the down-turned position. In such event, the current which operates the affected solenoid also serves to vibrate the armature 32 or 33 thereof, whereby to impart a vibratory motion to the corresponding lens and impart a flashing efiect. The vibratory motion referred to is obtained by adapting bell or buzzer type electro-magnets to the present use, wherein their supports serve as the grounding terminals and the blocks 56 as the companion terminals.

Figs. 5 and 6 indicate that the lens is made with a large number of perforations 58 of various forms which break the light up into an array of beams which serve further to draw attention to the signal. The lens construction may be modified by directing the colored lenses or their perforations at different angles, or by arranging the lenses in multiples or combinations.

It will now be apparent that the novel lamp has a number of advantageous features. it comprises a complete signaling unit which is controlled in all respects from the inside of the car, making for great convenience and reducing the chances of neglect and consequent danger. Further, the manner of mounting the lamp on the supporting bracket enables it to hold'its normal position independently of turning movements of the train, so that the signal continues to shine on the right-of-way. Further, a set of signal lenses is disposed within the lamp which may be individually controlled, to assume a position in front of the light bulb, whereby to emit the corresponding signal toward the rear. Further, the lamp has the regular rear lens and also a frontal pilot lens, by way of which the operation of the lamp and the character of the signal are determined at a glance. Further, the mechanism for operating the lenses combines the compact assembly 0f solenoid and electro-magnetic means to create the movements of the lenses and the vibration thereof when in the signaling position. Finally, the units employed in the novel lamp are simple, sturdy and of a character following well established mechanical and electrical principles so that the lamp may be relied upon to operate efiiciently over a long period without need of attention or repair.

While we have described the invention along specific lines, various minor changes or refinements may be made therein without departing from its principle, and we reserve the right to employ all such changes and refinements as may come within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. 'A signal lamp comprising a vertical housing, a light bulb in the same, a plain lens in one side wall of the housing and in the direct path of light from said bulb, a series of horizontally pivoted First,

4 and vertically disposed vari-colored lenses in the housing and alternately vertically movable into the space between the bulb and said plain lens to positions in said path of light.

2. The structure of claim 1, horizontally pivoted supports including electro-magnets carrying said vari-colored lenses, and electro-responsive means for energizing the electro-magnets to alternately move said supports and move the lenses alternately in the path of light to the plain lens.

3. The structure of claim 1, horizontally pivoted electro-magnetic supports carrying said varicolored lenses, solenoids located opposite the electro-magnetic supports, and connections from the solenoids to the respective electro-magnetic supports for obtaining alternate vertical reciprocation of the lenses in the path of light to the plain lens.

4. The structure of claim 1, horizontally pivoted supports including electro-magnets carrying said vari-colored lenses, solenoids located opposite the supports, connections from the solenoids to the respective supports for obtaining alterhate vertical movement of the vari-colored lenses, and automatic means to reverse the movement of said supports and move the related lenses out of said path when the solenoids are de-energized.

5. The structure of claim 1, horizontally pivoted supports including electro-magnets carrying said vari-colored lenses, solenoids located opposite the supports, connections from the solenoids to the respective supports for obtaining alternate vertical movement of the vari-colored lenses, and torsion springs around the pivots of the supports to reverse the rotation thereof and move the related lenses out of said path when the solenoids are de-energized.

6. The structure of claim 1, and means to induce a vibratory movement in the vari-colored lenses when they reach said path.

7. The structure of claim 1, and electrical means to induce a vibratory movement in the vari-colored lenses when they reach said path.

8. The structure of claim 1, supports pivr oted horizontally in the housing and constituting lenses in said path.

9. The structure of claim 1, and means to move the lenses in parallelism in respect to each other.

JOHN A. GEARON. EDWARD GEARON.

REFERENCES CITED 7' The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 652,493 Terrell et al June 26, 1900 1,049,852 Harvey Jan. 7, 1913 1,175,051 Darrow Mar. 14, 1916 1,257,646 Smith Feb. 26,1918 1,635,393 Amans July 12, 1927 1,667,469 Carter Apr. 24, 1928 1,932,022 OHagan Oct. 24,1933 

